"What was done by the DOJ was based on (scant) information given (to them) by certain parties from Malaysia, and their actions (were politically-motivated and) not based on the law," he said yesterday.

"If they asked (for information related to sovereign wealth fund 1MDB), we would have been obliged to provide assistance. So, I conclude that the action is politically tinged."

Mr Apandi, who was speaking to reporters after attending a Hari Raya gathering, was referring to the lawsuit to seize assets allegedly linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) by the DOJ.

The DOJ filed civil-forfeiture lawsuits this year and last year seeking assets it alleges were bought with money misappropriated from 1MDB.

The US$1.7 billion (S$2.4 billion) worth of assets include a US$250 million yacht, company shares, properties and jewellery.

In a separate development, model Miranda Kerr has handed over US$8.1 million worth of jewellery to the DOJ a week after lawsuits said it was purchased for her with funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.

Ms Kerr, who isn't a defendant in the lawsuits, transferred the gifts last Friday to government agents from her safe-deposit box in Los Angeles. They were given to her by Malaysian financier Jho Low, whom she dated for about a year in 2014, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a source.